enics were partly devised, I am sure, to help us take the
contortionists' attitudes necessary for this graceful exercise. But
nothing, not even our skirmishing, prepared my elbows for our final stunt
of throwing ourselves prone on the hard floor, and in approved
target-shooting posture snapping ten shots at the third button of the
captain's shirt, while the lieutenant counted ninety seconds by his
watch.

Returning, we found that rifle-inspection was scheduled, with a special
warning that the captain was not satisfied with the way we kept the guns.
So we got out our single cleaning-rod and passed it from cot to cot, with
the nitro-solvent and the oil, and such few patches as yet remained to
us. For no amount of them will satisfy one company, or even one squad,
and we are always short. The rifles cleaned, we policed the tent, making
it absolutely neat. Now such are the acoustic properties of these canvas
dwellings that we can hear what goes on in our neighbors', and so it
happened that we heard, from tent 6, Randall's controversy with the rest
of his squad. It is seldom that one man will talk down seven, but we
heard the whole of his obstinate defense, how that he hadn't known that
he was tent-policeman for the day, that no one had policed the tent
yesterday, or eke the day before, that it was a sin and a shame to make
him do other men's work, that especially in the matter of the smoky
lantern, which no one had cleaned since the opening of camp, it was wrong
to make him bear the burden of accumulated neglect. Some of us chuckled
at all this, but at such a clamor raised for the purpose of escaping duty
David listened soberly. "He works very hard to avoid work," said the boy,
whose good manners will not let him evade any duty which he clearly
perceives--though I will admit that his perceptions are still rather
dull.

The row died down, we heard the rattle of the lantern, and then Randall's
voice. "I was only jollying you." No answer, but still the lantern
rattled. "I'm willing to do my share of the work." Still no answer. "Oh,
well," said Randall finally, "if you feel that way about it, give me the
lantern. I'll clean it." We heard the corporal's voice. "I've got it
nearly cleaned. And you can squeak out of your work, Randall; but just
the same, we've got our opinion of you."

I thought the corporal had the best of it. It is no small penalty to
carry around the squad's opinion of one's shortcomings.

At inspection time